"Hit them before they hit you," the veteran racer joked before Friday's NASCAR Nationwide Series practice.

According to Regan Smith, don't let the relatively few seven cautions for just 18 laps at the 2013 inaugural race fool anyone.

"It might have been clean for the guy up front. There was banging going on," he said of his hard-fought 15th-place finish in 2013. "We're all professionals at what we do. I question that at times, but we're all professionals and we know how to keep the cars off each other."

"There was more stuff tore up after the race was over than I think there was during the race," Hornish said. "I think people got their aggressions out on the cool down lap. So whether it was cool down to cool your tires down or to get your emotions taken care of, there was a lot of that last year."

During Friday's two practice sessions, Justin Marks proved quickest, turning a best-lap of 1:25.398 seconds (95.187 mph) in his Chevrolet. Rookie Chris Buescher was second-best, just .005 of a second behind in a Ford, and Hornish was third with a 1:25.749 in a Toyota. Smith and fellow veteran Brendan Gaughan rounded out the top five in Chevys.

For Gaughan, it was his first trip back to Mid-Ohio since running a Formula 2000 race in 1992.

"Hopefully, no one ends up in China Beach if that's what it's called," Gaughan correctly called the huge gravel trap at the end of the backstraight. "Hopefully, we can keep the wheels turning."

With a mix of old-timers, rookies and various agendas, Smith said he has to be smart out there.

"It could go any which way. You gotta be aware who you're around and when you're around them," he said.

Series points leader Chase Elliott is a rookie who is making his first appearance at Mid-Ohio. Still, he knows what lies ahead. It's going to be physical.

"That seems to be the trend of road racing at a tight place like this," the son of all-time NASCAR great Bill Elliott said. "It's hard to pass. Just like short-track racing, guys will move the guy out of the way to get the spot. That's the way road racing is going to be at these small, tight places."

But that's what makes it so fun to watch, Gaughan said. Drivers will take chances typical road racers won't attempt.

"Even though some days a NASCAR driver isn't the best road racer, we put on an exciting show, fighting for every inch in our sport," Gaughan said. "That's how tough our sport is."

For Hornish, who finished on the podium after starting eighth in 2013, he hopes to avoid the bulk of that by following a simple game plan.

"Hopefully, I'll be fast enough to not let them get to my bumper," he said.

But don't expect it.

"I expect guys to be aggressive like they always are," Smith said. "You just hope you're not on the wrong end of that when guys get aggressive."